Wyoming Religious Activist Praises Colorado Cake Ruling [Poll]

A southwest Wyoming Lutheran Minister who is active in the Wyoming Pastors' Network is calling a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the case of a Colorado baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a same-sex wedding, "a landmark ruling for religious freedom."

Jonathan Lange is a Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod pastor in southwest Wyoming who says he often speaks on "religious liberty and marriage and the sanctity of life."

The high court on June 4th ruled in favor of baker Jack Phillips, who declined to bake the cake on religious grounds.

Justice Anthony Kennedy, writing the majority opinion in the case, said the Colorado Civil Rights Commission had been hostile to religion, and thereby to Phillips position, in it's ruling against the baker.

Lange on Monday pointed to a portion of the opinion that said: "religious and philosophical objections to gay marriage are protected views." Lange said that while the ruling will not stop the Wyoming Legislature from passing a statewide law to protect the rights of LGBTQ people, it would require the law to protect the views of those who object to gay marriage on religious grounds as well as those who support gay marriage and LGBTQ rights.

He also said it is wrong to paint Christians who oppose gay marriage as being discriminatory towards gay people.

Sara Burlingame, Executive Director of Wyoming Equality, praised the high court's ruling after it was issued earlier this month because she said it left in place the concept of legal protection for LGBTQ people from discrimination.

She also predicted the Wyoming Legislature will once again in 2019 consider a statewide anti-discrimination bill. The Cheyenne City Council may also consider such an ordinance. Cheyenne currently has an anti-discrimination resolution, but it carries no legal weight.